A Night at the Game: How Scarborough Shooting Stars Are Bringing CCS Youth Closer to Home

Sometimes a simple gesture ends up meaning a lot more than anyone expected.

Earlier this summer, a representative from Scarborough Shooting Stars reached out to CCS with an offer, free tickets for our youth to attend the team’s home games. Since then, 27 youth from the CCS Youth Program have taken up the offer, many watching a professional basketball game in person for the very first time.

The Scarborough Shooting Stars are Scarborough’s own professional basketball team, competing in the Canadian Elite Basketball League since 2022. Backed by one of the most passionate fan bases in the country, the team reflects the grit and energy of Scarborough itself, both on the court and in the community.

For many of our youth, the atmosphere alone was the highlight. Parnian, who attended a game on July 18th, said the crowd was “so excited,” and that she loved watching the players “make great shots and work together as a team.” For Mehrdad Rasooli, it was his first basketball game in person, and he made a point of sharing it with his siblings. “I went with my sister and brother,” he said. “I really enjoyed being there with them, and the whole experience was so fun and exciting.“

That sense of connection is exactly what the Scarborough Shooting Stars Foundation, the team’s charitable arm, is built around. The foundation focuses on under-resourced, newcomer and at-risk youth aged 8 to 18, and last year alone supported more than 5,000 youth and families across the GTA through equipment donations, game tickets and skill development camps.

Natashiya, who also attended for the first time, felt the weight of that generosity directly. “I really want to thank CCS and the Foundation for giving me the chance to watch a basketball game at no cost and for supporting us,” she said. “I’m very grateful for this opportunity, both personally and on behalf of everyone else who had the chance to watch the game.” She added a simple request, one that speaks to how much the gesture meant, “Please continue your good work and support the community.“

At CCS, our vision is a Canada where everyone feels at home, thrives and contributes to society. Getting our youth, most of whom are newcomers, out to games like this brings that vision to life. It is a sense of belonging built through something as simple as a fun night out, and for many of these families, that kind of positive, low-pressure experience in the community is hard to come by.

We asked Scarborough Shooting Stars Foundation why they make space for experiences like this. “We want young people to see what is possible for their future,” the foundation said. “Experiences like attending a Shooting Stars game are part of that mission, helping youth feel connected to their community while giving them the support, exposure and confidence to develop their talents and become the leaders and specialists of tomorrow.“

For CCS, that mission overlaps closely with our own. We exist to help immigrants, refugees and vulnerable groups build a life in Canada where they feel at home. A night at the game will not solve every barrier a newcomer family faces, but for the 27 youth who filled the stands this season, it was one more piece of what belonging can feel like.

We’re grateful to Scarborough Shooting Stars for thinking of our youth and we look forward to seeing where this collaboration goes next.